Warning signs to notice when you’re with your parents.
The holidays often include visits with family. If you haven’t been in their home or seen them getting around in your home in awhile you may notice some signs that concern you. They may downplay their physcial limitations or be stubborn about needing help even though fall prevention is critical to keeping them safe in their home.
Physicians and therapists can be helpful in finding ways to address the problems and so can equipment from Harmar, such as stairlifts and ramps.
Kim and Mike Barnes of Parenting Aging Parents talk with Sarah Puls from Partnering Sponsor Harmar and Physical Therapist Alison Starkey about ways to prevent falls and keep our homes safe.
Read the full transcript
Transcript of Interview: “Improving Home Safety”
Mike Barnes:
As we get deeper and deeper into the holidays, I think a lot of us get kind of nervous about being around Mom and Dad. Is everything going to be okay because they don’t move around quite like they used to? You just don’t want an accident to happen, especially during the holidays.
Kim Barnes:
Sometimes it allows you to notice that things might be changing a little bit and maybe need to be addressed. Today, we are bringing in Sarah Puls from Harmar and Alison Starkey, who is a physical therapist. Thanks so much for being with us.
Sarah Puls:
Thank you for having us.
Kim Barnes:
You know, as we prepare to see our parents over the holidays, whether we’re going to their home or they’re coming to us, a lot of times this is a chance for us to sort of check in and see how things are going. Are we noticing changes and things that might need to be done a little differently? So, Alison, let’s start with you as a physical therapist. What are the things that we can be keeping an eye out for?
Alison Starkey:
Overall, we know our parents very well, and usually at the holidays, there’s been an interval of time since the last visit. We’re looking out for any kind of subtle changes in behavior or traditions. For example, maybe there’s a Christmas show you’ve always attended together or a church service, and the senior has a different response to the situation than they normally would. They might say, “You go in and do the shopping, and I’ll just wait in the car,” or “I’m not sure I want to go this year.”
Watch for changes in how they move around the house, such as cruising along the edge of furniture, holding onto the sofa, and then holding onto something else as they move. This may be something new or more exaggerated. Notice if they’re having difficulty getting in and out of the house, especially on stairs, maybe taking one step at a time instead of the usual way. More dependence on a handrail can be an indication that things are different.
Mike Barnes:
Sarah, I know Kim is guilty when she visits her mom. She’ll think, “Mom’s not moving like she used to. Maybe she needs some physical therapy or to exercise more,” but a lot of times, there are things that can be done to the house or the place where they live to make things a little bit easier. That’s where Harmar comes in, correct?
Sarah Puls:
Yes, that’s right. Harmar makes products to improve our loved ones’ home access. We make stairlifts that help folks get up and down a flight of stairs easily. We make platform lifts for those in wheelchairs who need to get in and out of the house from a porch or garage. We make ramps that make it easier to get through thresholds, which can be surprising places for potential trips and falls. Thresholds are often overlooked, but they’re important to us at Harmar.
We have a great network of dealers who can be good partners for caregivers. They can provide home evaluations, make recommendations, and ensure the home is safer with installation, service, and maintenance. Having a good dealer partner is very important.
Kim Barnes:
Alison, how can a physical therapist help in this transition?
Alison Starkey:
In many ways. There are different types of physical therapy you can engage with, either in an outpatient facility or, best of all, in the home. You can have a home health therapist come out with a doctor’s order or hire a private therapist who works in the aging-in-place space. They are usually well-versed in all types of equipment available to the client, as well as products like those from Harmar, such as stairlifts or vertical platform lifts for people in wheelchairs. These work particularly well for situations where one person is in a wheelchair and another is able-bodied.
Mike Barnes:
I think that’s one of the biggest problems for a lot of us—we don’t realize what can be done. How could our house change just a little bit to help our parents so much?
Alison Starkey:
Absolutely, and it’s the little things that make a huge difference. Employing a physical therapist who works in this space can provide recommendations for right now and for the future. If you’re thinking about renovating your bathroom, for example, these are features that would really benefit you in the future.
Kim Barnes:
The biggest goal is fall prevention because falls can have such negative implications for our parents as they get older.
Alison Starkey:
Falls are one of the deadliest injuries people can have. These are significant injuries we need to prevent.
Kim Barnes:
How might you have a conversation with your parents when you start noticing they’re slowing down or you see hazards in their home? How do you address these concerns?
Alison Starkey:
In my practice, I empower adult children to approach this as a concern from their point of view. Say, “Mom, Dad, I’m concerned because you don’t seem to be moving around as much, and I heard some advice that we can do things to keep you at home safely.” The last thing we want is for them to injure themselves and end up in a nursing home. We want them to be home and safe for as long as possible. Approaching it as a preventive measure is beneficial because it puts the decision-making back in the hands of the senior, allowing them to maintain their independence.
Sarah Puls:
Yes, and I agree with Alison. These conversations are among the most challenging for family caregivers. Our parents often have a hard time appreciating their physical decline and may be stubborn or not fully understand the seriousness of falls. Having these conversations from a place of love is important. We have resources on our blog at Harmar.com to provide tips and coaching on how to have these conversations.
Sometimes, it’s helpful to have a medical professional or therapist assist in these conversations. My father, for example, is more likely to accept advice from a medical professional than from me. We need to be creative and think about the larger community to ensure our parents are safe and open to changing their home. Having the right dealer and products to make it easy and stress-free for caregivers is also very important.
Mike Barnes:
Very well said, Sarah. We went through that with my dad. We joked about getting him a stairlift years ago, and he laughed it off. But the good thing about Harmar is that it’s not just stairlifts. There are little things you can get to help keep the home safe, which is what you’re looking for as an adult child.
Sarah Puls:
That’s right. We also have a broad selection of ramps, which sometimes are an easier way to get parents to accept needing assistance. This helps keep them safe and prevents falls. As their health continues to decline, it’s easier to move from a ramp to something that offers more support.
Kim Barnes:
It’s good to know there are many options to keep them safe in their home and when they come to visit us.
Sarah Puls:
Yes, absolutely. Keeping people safe is what we’re all about.
Mike Barnes:
I think that’s the biggest thing we’re looking for—keeping people safe. When you watch your mom or dad move around the house or the neighborhood, you want to keep them safe.
Kim Barnes:
When you haven’t seen them for a while, you might notice changes more, and that’s when you need to take action or make some changes.
Mike Barnes:
Remember, if there are any topics you’d like us to discuss, please let us know. Parenting Aging Parents.
*This transcript is auto-generated. Please excuse any typos or mistakes.
